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Health secretary says government doing all it can to minimise risk and disruption' as BMA says pay has fallen more in real terms since 2008 than rest of population

UK-first scheme aims to improve access to wider range of food for people with coeliac disease and gluten intolerancePeople with coeliac disease and gluten intolerance in Wales will be eligible for a prepaid card designed to help towards the cost of specialised foods.The debit-style subsidy cards will be rolled out in a UK-first this autumn, the Welsh government said on Friday. The scheme aims is to give people with conditions such as coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis access to a wider range of gluten-free food at supermarkets and online, rather than relying on prescriptions from a pharmacy. Continue reading...

Green leadership candidate says any decision on alliance would be one for party members

Household names are having to take drastic action as they lack resources to meet rising demand for their servicesA week ago the voluntary sector was being love-bombed by ministers at launch of the civil society covenant, an agreement designed to cement the role of charities in the government's economic growth plans and social renewal mission At one level, it was a heady moment of optimism for a sector used to being patronised and ignored.A few days later, news that the mental health charity Samaritans is to close about half of its 200 branches over the next few years was a reminder of the cold, hard economic reality gripping much of the sector. Samaritans is just the latest household name UK charity to take drastic action to stave off financial crisis. Continue reading...

Pop star's choice was surprisingly traditional - but brand has a legacy of clothing unconventional bridesCharli xcx is the British pop star known for pioneering trends. Last summer she turned the word Brat' into a cultural phenomenon complete with a uniform featuring a pack of cigs, a Bic lighter, and a strappy white top with no bra."So it came as somewhat of a surprise to fans when, last weekend, she opted for a more classic bridal look to marry George Daniel, the drummer in the band the 1975. Continue reading...

Official and ministers either deny that Palestinians are being affected by hunger or say it is not Israel's fault

Move comes as South Cambridgeshire becomes first UK local authority to vote to make work pattern permanentDozens of councils have been targeted by campaigners calling for a four-day week after it that emerged one local authority had become Britain's first to vote to adopt the pattern permanently.The move comes shortly after thousands of private-sector workers were also told they would be staying on shorter working weeks with the same pay after more than 200 businesses decided it worked for them - in some cases, after lengthy trials. Continue reading...

Versatile vocalist straddled jazz, classical, pop and musical theatre with four-octave range, and collaborated for decades with husband, John DankworthDame Cleo Laine, the UK's most successful and celebrated jazz singer, has died aged 97.A statement from her children Jacqui and Alec reads: It is with deepest sadness that we announce the passing of our dearly beloved mother, Cleo, who died peacefully yesterday afternoon. We will all miss her terribly. The family wish to be given space to grieve and ask for privacy at this very difficult time." Continue reading...

British teenager was found dead on Spanish island after going missing while on holiday last summerJay Slater, the 19-year-old Briton whose disappearance in Tenerife last summer prompted a massive search, died by accident after falling from a height, a coroner has concluded.Slater had told his friends he was in the middle of the mountains" and in need of a drink, as he attempted a 14-hour walk home the morning after taking drugs and alcohol on a night out, Preston coroner's court has heard. Continue reading...

Civilian casualties on rise as Moscow launches salvoes of hundreds of missiles after ramping up production

The president is a master of look over there' - but not when his supporters' core beliefs about the deep state' are in playDonald Trump displayed the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Sitting in the Oval Office, he was asked by a reporter about the justice department's hunt for evidence about the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. I don't really follow that too much," he said. It's sort of a witch-hunt."And then the pivot: The witch-hunt you should be talking about is that they caught President Obama absolutely cold." Trump was claiming a plot by Barack Obama to rig the 2016 election, accusing his predecessor of treason". For good measure he warned: Whether it's right or wrong, it's time to go after people." Continue reading...

Exclusive: Finance minister to consider feedback from senators before making decision final

Profits rise 4.4% at lender, which plans to distribute interim dividend of 9.5p a share on top of fresh 750m buyback

Database of 8m handwritten census entries paints portrait of city that was hub for intellectuals, artists and young, single peopleIn 1926, James Joyce was working on his novel Finnegans Wake while living in a spacious apartment in the 7th arrondissement of Paris with his partner, Nora Barnacle, and their two adult children, Giorgio and Lucia.Joyce's neighbours in the elegant stone building at 2 Square de Robiac included a Syrian family whose three children had an English nanny called Jessie, Russian emigres, an Egyptian industrialist, and the US writers William and Elizabeth Placida Mahl. Continue reading...

Court asked to consider whether the coroner has jurisdiction to examine Shipley's arrest

Some areas expected to receive up to 25mm but downpour unlikely to help farmers in regions experiencing drought

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Former Labor foreign minister says Canberra must seek to be a world leader - not wait for the US or UK - and recognise a Palestinian state

Mental health charity says it plans to move volunteers into larger regional hubs and pilot remote call handlingSamaritans has announced plans to close at least half of its 200 branches across the UK and Ireland, move volunteers into larger regional hubs and pilot remote call handling, in a shake-up that has left some volunteers dismayed.The mental health charity told volunteers in a video last week it hoped within the next seven to 10 years, our branch network will have reduced by at least half" and that it would move to fewer but bigger regions". Continue reading...

Speaking at Comic-Con on Thursday, Trey Parker and Matt Stone revealed they spent days negotiating with producers to show the US president's genitalsSouth Park co-creator Trey Parker had the briefest of responses on Thursday to anger from the White House over the latest season premiere, which showed a naked Donald Trump in bed with Satan.We're terribly sorry," Parker said, followed by a long, deadpan-comic stare. Continue reading...

While details of the treaty are yet to be announced, it's expected to cover cooperation in shipbuilding and other areas

Defence drops claim that recordings of phone calls between Lehrmann and his lawyers were illegally obtained' by Queensland police

The prime minister did not, however, follow French president Emmanuel Macron's lead with a commitment to recognise a Palestinian state

Analysts say the Japanese are suffering a crisis of confidence that is feeding xenophobia amid economic insecurity and a record number of foreign residentsThe emergence of a rightwing populist party in Japan's upper house election on Sunday running on a Trump-style Japanese First" slogan has raised concerns of a backlash against the growing foreign presence in the country.The party, Sanseito, has successfully tapped into unease around an expanding immigrant population and a huge influx of tourists after the pandemic. But many see the underlying cause as economic insecurity among a population that both understands the need for overseas labour and visitors, and feels anxiety at the changes they bring and symbolise. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. See our full report here: France to recognise Palestinian state at UN general assembly, Macron says

President's visit is landmark moment', says first minister, as SNP puts pressure on him to take strong stance on PalestineJohn Swinney has pledged to raise the unimaginable suffering we are witnessing in Gaza" when he meets Donald Trump over the weekend.The leader of the Scottish National party described the president's four-day trip as a landmark moment" in the relationship between Scotland and the US. Continue reading...

Announcement suggested setback for diplomatic efforts as Gaza endures cataclysmic humanitarian conditionsThe US is withdrawing its negotiating team from Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar after Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff pointed the finger at Hamas for a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire".While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith," Witkoff said on Thursday. We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza." Continue reading...

Transit will transport concertgoers at a three-day concert series celebrating 60th anniversary of the band's formationThe summer of love is pulling back in to San Francisco - aboard three tie-dye and paisley-wrapped trains and buses.Designed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead's formation, the city's Muni transit vehicles will double as transport for concertgoers attending a three-day Dead & Company series at Golden Gate Park. Continue reading...

At least 10 clerks received queries as DoJ ramps up requests to states about how they keep ineligible voters off the rollsSteve Schleiker, the Republican county clerk in El Paso county, Colorado, got home from work on 16 July when he got a text message from a number he didn't recognize with a pressing request.The person sending the message introduced himself to Schleiker as Jeff Small, a political consultant with the 76 Group who had formerly served as Representative Lauren Boebert's chief of staff. He said he was working with the White House and was looking for Republican clerks in Democratic states they could partner with on election integrity. Small wanted to speak soon, Schleiker said, because there was going to be a meeting the next morning between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice. Continue reading...

With a huge profile and no one to appease, Your Party' starts on a better footing than new parties of the pastNew political parties have a patchy record in British politics. Take Change UK, which launched amid much fanfare in the spring of 2019 and had disbanded by the end of the same year. So can Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana fare any better? In part it depends on the question you ask.The new and as-yet unnamed leftwing party formally announced by Corbyn and his fellow ex-Labour MP on Thursday, has one major advantage at its disposal: the former Labour leader's very strong public profile. Continue reading...

UN agency for Palestinians says entire humanitarian system is collapsing' as ceasefire negotiations fall apart

The WWE star and vocal supporter of Donald Trump died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Florida

Portraitist withdrew her National Portrait Gallery show over reports that a transgender Statue of Liberty painting could offend TrumpArtist Amy Sherald has decided to withdraw her upcoming show at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery over fears of censorship.Sherald, who gained wider recognition after her portrait of Michelle Obama, was set to become the first contemporary Black artist to have an exhibition at the gallery. Continue reading...

Don Farrell to caution against shift to system based solely on power and size' in Friday speech to Lowy Institute

Jeff Stewart, who played PC Reg Hollis in police drama, sits on suspect's legs in Southampton as officers handcuff himThe actor who played PC Reg Hollis in the TV series The Bill has helped real-life police officers arrest a shoplifter who was trying to escape on a bicycle.Jeff Stewart, who played Hollis for 24 years in the long-running ITV drama, sat on the suspect's legs while officers handcuffed him after he had fallen off the bike in Southampton, Hampshire, on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Hungarian government says scheduled performance at Budapest music festival posed a national security threatThe Irish hip-hop band Kneecap have been banned from entering Hungary for three years ahead of their scheduled appearance at a music festival there.The group, who are outspoken supporters of Palestine, were due to perform at Sziget festival on 11 August. But the Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs said it had been banned because its members repeatedly engage in antisemitic hate speech supporting terrorism and terrorist groups". Continue reading...

Both countries accused the other of opening fire first after weeks of simmering tensions broke out into fighting at six locationsThailand and Cambodia fought in their most deadly border clashes in more than a decade on Thursday as Thai officials said 11 civilians and a Thai soldier were killed in rocket and artillery attacks.Clashes broke out on Thursday morning after weeks of simmering tensions over a long-running border dispute between the south-east-Asian neighbours. Both countries accused each other of opening fire first. Continue reading...

Daniel Gunter convicted for attack on Brendon Staddon, causing skull and neck injuries, while nurses worked nearbyA man has been found guilty of murdering his two-week-old son in a special care baby unit in Somerset by shattering his skull and breaking his neck while nurses worked less than 5 metres away.Experts said the injuries that Daniel Gunter, 27, caused to Brendon Staddon were like those they would expect to see in someone who had fallen from a high building, but the attack was so swift and silent that staff did not realise what was going on. Continue reading...

Wreckage of Angara Airlines flight found on mountainside not far from its destination of TyndaA Soviet-era passenger plane has crashed in Russia's far east as it prepared to land, killing all 48 people onboard.The flight, operated by Siberia-based Angara Airlines, and departing from the city of Blagoveshchensk, vanished from radar on Thursday and lost contact with air traffic controllers while approaching its destination of Tynda, a remote town in the Amur region bordering China. Continue reading...

Former Labour leader said he was founding the new party, which is being referred to currently as Your PartyBusiness secretary Jonathan Reynolds blamed Donald Trump's tariffs and competition from China for the slump in vehicle manufacturing.He told BBC Breakfast he was very concerned" about the industry, which he described as the jewel in the crown" of British manufacturing.I'm very concerned about automotive, the pressures on the system which come from the US trade agenda, but also an incredible increase in capacity from China.It's why as a government we've adopted so many measures specifically around the automotive sector.The UK state pension is already one of the worst in the entire developed world, which is a direct result of decades of governments transferring both our national and personal wealth to the super rich.Any decision to squeeze more out of working people by forcing us to work even longer would be a national disgrace. Continue reading...

Marianne Sorrell, a retired teacher from Somerset, says she is very traumatised' after arrest at Cardiff rallyAn 80-year-old woman arrested for holding a placard at a pro-Palestine rally has said she is deeply traumatised after she was held by police for almost 27 hours, during which officers forced their way into her house and searched it.Marianne Sorrell from Wells, Somerset was detained at a rally in Cardiff on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action, which earlier this month became the first direct action group to be banned under UK anti-terrorism laws. Continue reading...

Thailand uses air power against military targets as planned', army says after neighbours accuse each other of opening fire first along border

Officers say triple murder and attempted suicide is one line of inquiry after deaths in County FermanaghPolice have named the mother and two children who were shot dead at their home in County Fermanagh.Vanessa Whyte, 45, a veterinary surgeon, and her son James Rutledge, 14, and daughter Sara Rutledge, 13, were killed on Wednesday at their detached house in Maguiresbridge, a village 8 miles from Enniskillen. Continue reading...

Former Labour MPs condemn rigged' system and promise a mass redistribution of wealth and power'

Peer Beeban Kidron says it is not nanny state' to stop firms investing billions on making their platforms addictive from targeting under-18sA leading online safety campaigner has urged the UK government to detoxify the dopamine loops" of addictive social media platforms as tech companies prepare to implement significant child protection measures.Beeban Kidron, a crossbench peer, asked the technology secretary, Peter Kyle, to use the Online Safety Act to bring forward new codes of conduct on disinformation and on tech features that can lead to children becoming addicted to online content. Continue reading...

Free trade agreement projected to boost UK economy by 4.8bn a year and attract 6bn of investment

Fashion retailer wants to shut 33 stores and reduce rent costs, and says it needs 10m of funding in September

World's biggest news outlets urge Israeli authorities to allow reporters in and out of war-stricken strip

Former political prisoners face lengthy travel restrictions to stop them speaking out, says human rights organisationSaudi Arabia is banning large numbers of its own citizens from leaving the country in a cruel" attempt to silence criticism, say human rights activists.High-profile women's rights campaigners, including Loujain al-Hathloul, who pushed for the right for women to drive in Saudi Arabia, and Maryam al-Otaibi, one of three sisters targeted by the authorities for their activism, appear to have been given long travel bans. These restrictions frequently extend to family members. Continue reading...

Jonathan Reynolds says I understand the frustrations people have', as police brace for further unrestProtesters outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Epping are upset for legitimate reasons", a cabinet minister has said, as police brace for further unrest over the coming days.Jonathan Reynolds, the business and trade secretary, said there was huge frustration that is shared by the government" about the asylum system and the pressures it created on housing. Continue reading...